An inside look at how the 158th Belmont Stakes will shape up:
1. Vitruvian Man (30-1)
Jockey: Antonio Fresu
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Current form: Broke maiden at Keeneland last October. 0 for 3 since. Passed tired rivals to get third (at 47-1) in the Santa Anita Derby.
Worth a wager: The only reason to like the “Man” is that the Vino Rosso sired colt may benefit stretching longer. Trainer Doug O’Neill takes shots. You don’t have to. Last of nine.
2. Powershift (12-1)
Jockey: Luis Saez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Current form: He became a winner in his third career start. Ran home a midpack sixth of nine as a maiden in the Tampa Bay Derby previously.
Worth a wager: Tough spot moving to a Triple Crown race off a maiden breaker. Lack of speed in this field suggests the Mike Repole-owned, Todd Pletcher-trained colt will play the part of the rabbit. Luis Saez replaces Irad Ortiz, who stays on Renegade. Seventh.
3. Chief Wallabee (3-1)
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Trainer: Bill Mott
Current form: Reported home a close third behind Commandment in the Florida Derby, then fourth behind Golden Tempo in the “Run for the Roses.”
Worth a wager: There were about 10 horses that didn’t have the best trip in the Kentucky Derby. He was one of them. Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado won this race last year with Sovereignty. Can he outkick this field with a clean trip? We have him fourth.
4. Renegade (2-1)
Jockey: Irad Ortiz
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Current form: The Arkansas Derby winner would have been the favorite at Churchill Downs but something happened along the way. He drew the rail. Still managed to make a late run for second behind the faster-closing Golden Tempo.
Worth a wager: Denied, but impressive in defeat. Sure the rail didn’t help. But Irad Ortiz sifted through heavy traffic and nearly pulled it off, only to watch his brother Jose go by in the final jumps. No rail today but we believe he bounces. Flat fifth.
5. Ottinho (20-1)
Jockey: Dylan Davis
Trainer: Chad Brown
Current form: Distant third in the Withers, then second behind runaway winner Further Ado in the Blue Grass.
Worth a wager: Chad, Chad, Chad. Brown trains three of the nine horses entered. This is not the one. He’s by Quality Road so he may relish the 10 furlongs. Dylan Davis replaces Flavien Prat, who stays on Emerging Market. Not last, eighth.
6. Growth Equity (12-1)
Jockey: Manny Franco
Trainer: Chad Brown
Current form: Made it back-to-back wins when he flew home to defeat a suspect field of five in the Peter Pan.
Worth a wager: Once considered an important prep for the Belmont Stakes (they were both contested at Belmont Park you know) the Peter Pan victory must be taken with a grain of salt. One to grow on? Yes, and he will be heard from in the summer classics. Again Prat comes off. Manny Franco rides him home sixth.
7. Commandment (6-1)
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Brad Cox
Current form: Won the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby by the slimmest of margins before turning in a neighborhood seventh in the Kentucky Derby.
Worth a wager: Excuses. He had a few at Churchill Downs. Not a deep closer so when he missed the break, the gameplan changed. Raced wide while bumping between horses and made a belated run. Brad Cox makes a rider change to the ageless John Velazquez, who gets him home a trouble free second.
8. Emerging Market (6-1)
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Trainer: Chad Brown
Current form: Took a perfect two-for-two record to the Kentucky Derby and checked in a tired 10th, well back of Golden Tempo and Renegade.
Worth a wager: So what happened? Was it the distance? No. He beat Golden Tempo in the Louisiana Derby contested at the same distance. Broke well and pressed fast fractions only to wilt and be swallowed by a cavalry of closers after losing a shoe. Not sure the shoe matters but we believe he rebounds. Winner.
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9. Golden Tempo (9-2)
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Trainer: Cherie DeVaux
Current form: Made Cherie Devaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner when he roared down the stretch to nip rival Renegade in the shadow of the wire.
Worth a wager: Not sure Jose Ortiz gets the same pace setup he received on the first Saturday in May. And not sure the Derby champion gets respected at the betting windows either. Ortiz keeps him closer in the shorter field and gets up for third.
